Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Katsina State, Nigeria — Residents of Gurbi and surrounding communities in Kankara Local Government Area are living under renewed fear as suspected bandits have been sighted encircling villages and engaging in sporadic gunfire, residents and local sources report. The development comes amid a wider resurgence of bandit attacks across the south of the state, sparking fresh alarm about the deteriorating security situation despite efforts to broker peace with armed groups.
Eyewitnesses say gunmen have been circulating in and around settlement clusters in Kankara, triggering panic and forcing families to take shelter or flee into the bush. While formal casualty figures have not yet been confirmed by official security agencies, community leaders warned that the sporadic shooting has disrupted farming activities, trade and daily life in the area, with residents urging government authorities to act swiftly to prevent further escalation.
The renewed violence reflects a broader pattern of persistent banditry in Katsina South Senatorial District, affecting Kankara, Funtua, Faskari, Dandume and other neighbouring local government areas. Despite past peace accords between state authorities, community representatives and some bandit factions in parts of Katsina State, the assurances of calm have not held uniformly across the region. In recent weeks, multiple sources have reported attacks marked by gunfire, killings and abductions, often in breach of earlier agreements intended to safeguard vulnerable rural areas. (Punch Newspapers)
In the Dandume Local Government Area, bandits were reported to have raided several villages including Baraje, Kirijan, Shugu, Kauran Pawa and Unguwar Jika, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries, destruction of homes and at least one abduction, according to local residents who spoke with journalists. Eyewitnesses said assailants fired indiscriminately in the early hours, leaving terrified residents to bury victims and seek treatment for the wounded in nearby health facilities. (Blueprint)
In Kankara, recent attacks have included an assault on a wedding convoy in Unguwar Nagunda community, where gunmen opened fire, killing civilians and injuring several others, and abducted an unspecified number of guests, according to resident accounts. Other communities such as Gidan Sarki also reported killings and abductions, with victims reportedly taken into nearby forests controlled by bandit groups. (Punch Newspapers)
The resurgence of violence has prompted renewed calls from local stakeholders and civil society for more decisive government action to protect rural populations. Critics argue that existing peace arrangements have proved fragile and unevenly implemented, allowing criminal elements to exploit gaps in security coverage and cross between LGAs with relative ease. Despite previous efforts that brought together community leaders, security agencies and even some armed group representatives under peace initiatives, the attacks suggest that the underlying drivers of banditry — including territorial control, ransom economies and mobility across forest corridors — remain unresolved. (Independent Newspaper Nigeria)
Analysts note that Katsina State, while having seen periods of relative calm in some areas due to dialogue and community policing efforts, continues to face complex security challenges that require sustained government attention, multi‑agency cooperation and community involvement. The intermittent nature of recent violence — with sporadic gunfire, kidnappings and ambushes — has strained local confidence in the capacity of security forces to deter attacks and protect civilians.
In past months, security agencies and local vigilante groups have at times repelled bandit attacks or foiled kidnapping attempts, but these operations have not fully stemmed the flow of violence. There have also been reports of bandit kingpins attending peace meetings or pledging to support dialogue efforts, but these initiatives have yielded mixed results, with some factions rejecting disarmament or returning to raids after temporary truces. (PM News Nigeria)
The Katsina State Government has in earlier instances condemned bandit attacks and pledged to work with the military, police and other security services to counter the threat. However, residents in affected districts say that insecurity persists, and that renewed attacks following peace deals undermine trust in negotiated settlements unless accompanied by robust enforcement, intelligence‑led operations and development efforts to address the root causes of insurgency.
As the situation in Kankara and nearby communities remains tense, displaced families and local leaders are urging an urgent scaling‑up of security deployment, enhanced patrols and community engagement initiatives to prevent further loss of life and stem the spread of violence across Katsina’s southern belt.
The renewed attacks highlight the fragility of peace arrangements in parts of northwest Nigeria and underline the ongoing challenge of stabilising rural areas vulnerable to banditry, kidnappings and communal violence after years of conflict and intermittent truces.
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